Natural disasters including floods, wildfires, and extreme heat events pose serious welfare threats to farm animals. Emergency planning is both a legal requirement in some jurisdictions and a core element of responsible livestock farming.
Farm animal emergency welfare is a growing concern as climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Animals in intensive systems are particularly vulnerable because their welfare depends entirely on functioning infrastructure - power for ventilation, water systems, feeding equipment. Welfare during emergencies includes the acute suffering of animals caught in disaster events and the chronic stress of displacement and disruption to normal routines. Post-disaster welfare assessment must address both physical injuries and behavioral indicators of psychological stress. Proactive emergency planning reduces both animal suffering and economic losses.